Ionomers of ethylene copolymers with alpha,beta-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids are known in the art, wherein at least a portion of the carboxylic acid groups of the copolymer are neutralized to form carboxylate salts comprising alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or transition metal cations. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,264,272; 3,338,739; 3,355,319; 5,155,157; 5,244,969; 5,304,608; 5,688,869; 6,245,858; 6,518,365; and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0297747.
Aqueous dispersions of ionomers are also known in the art. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,904,569; 4,136,069; 4,269,937; 4,508,804; 5,409,765; and Japanese Patent Applications JP01009338 and JP05075769. They have been produced by dissolving the acid copolymer precursors in a solvent, neutralization of the acid functionalities with generally ammonia, amines or alkali metal ions, and dilution of the solution into water followed by partial or complete removal of the solvent. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,313,144; 3,389,109; 3,562,196; 5,430,111; 5,591,806; Japanese Patent Applications JP50084687 and JP2009091426.
Aqueous ionomer dispersions have also been produced by heating acid copolymer precursors or ionomers in hot aqueous ammonia and other neutralizing agents. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,553,178; 3,644,258; 3,674,896; 3,823,108; 3,872,039; 3,899,389; 3,970,626; 3,983,268; 4,400,440; 4,540,736; 5,160,484; 5,206,279; 5,330,788; 5,387,635; 5,550,177; 6,852,792; U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007/0117916; Japanese Patent Application JP06000872; and PCT Patent Application Publication WO2000/044801.
Aqueous ionomer dispersions have also been produced by dispersing the acid copolymer precursor in aqueous solutions of neutralizing agents at temperatures under high shear process conditions above the boiling point of water, necessitating the use of pressure vessels such as autoclaves and extruders. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,082,697; 5,374,687; 5,993,604; 6,482,886; 7,279,513; 7,470,736; U.S. Patent Application Publications 2006/0124554; 2007/0243331; PCT Patent Application WO2011/087478; and Japanese Patent Applications JP10006640; and JP50135141.
Aqueous ionomer dispersions have also been produced by dispersing the ionomer in aqueous solutions under high shear process conditions at temperatures above the boiling point of water, necessitating the use of pressure vessels such as autoclaves and extruders. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,173,669; 4,329,305; 4,410,655; 6,458,897; Japanese Applications JP11158332; JP2005075878; JP 200575879; and PCT Patent Application Publication WO1999/10276.
Aqueous ionomer dispersions have also been produced by dispersing highly neutralized, low melt index (MI) ionomers in hot water. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,321,819; 3,472,825; and 4,181,566.
Blends incorporating a polyolefin with an ionomer are known. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,179,168; 5,445,893; 5,542,677; 5,591,803; 6,100,336; U.S. Patent Application Publication US 20080132628; PCT Patent Application Publication WO2009072600; and Japanese Patent Applications JP09-040924; JP09-175592; JP10-060186; JP10-316872; JP11-147288; JP11-291406; JP2868862; JP3356376; JP3878268; JP3926486; JP3985881; JP4197901; JP2002-012722; JP2002-234975; JP2003-026868; JP2003-291283; JP2004-217759; JP2006-026986; JP2007-138004; JP2007-301797; JP2007-302764; JP2008-138116; JP2008-273998; JP2009-035699; JP2009-084324; JP2009-101677; JP2009-138139; JP2868862; JP09040924; JP09175592; and JP3599912.
Aqueous dispersions incorporating a major portion of a polyolefin with a minor portion of an ionomer, generally functioning as a dispersant for the polyolefin, are known. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,296,172; 3,356,629; 3,896,065; 4,174,335; 4,336,210; 4,440,908; 4,775,713; 4,970,258; 4,978,707; 7,439,276; 7,528,080; 7,588,662; U.S. Patent Application Publications 2005/0271888; 2007/0137808; 2007/0137809; 2007/0137810; 2007/0137811; 2007/0137813; 2007/0144697; 2007/0284069; 2007/0292705; 2007/0295464; 2007/0295465; 2008/0000598; 2008/0000602; 2008/0009586; 2008/0041543; 2008/0073045; 2008/0073046; 2008/0076844; 2008/0135195; 2008/0230195; 2008/0216977; 2008/0295985; 2009/0202829; 2009/0253321; PCT Patent Application Publications WO2007/008633; WO2008/052122; WO2009/035877; WO2009/055275; WO2009/064993 and Japanese Patent Applications JP2958102; JP 2001-1355185.
Aqueous dispersions incorporating a major portion of a polyolefin with a minor portion of an ionomer have also been produced by dispersing the polyolefin and the ionomer in aqueous solutions under high shear process conditions at temperatures above the boiling point of water, necessitating the use of pressure vessels such as autoclaves and extruders. See for example U.S. Patent Application Publications 2005/0100754; 2007/0141323; 2008/0118728; 2008/0176968; 2008/0182040; 2008/0292833; 2009/0194450; 2010/0048784; 2010/0137501; and PCT Patent Application Publications WO2005/021638; WO2008/005501; WO2009/045731; WO2011/058121; WO2011/068525.
Aqueous dispersions incorporating a major portion of ionomer and a minor portion of polar polyolefin were produced, for example, by mixing preformed dispersions of each component. See for example British Patent GB1243303; European Patent Application EP1163276; and Japanese Application JP2000328046.
Aqueous dispersions incorporating a major portion of ionomer and a minor portion of polar polyolefin were produced, for example, by preparing a solid blend of an acid copolymer with the polar polyolefin, and treating the blend with a heated aqueous ammonia solution (PCT Patent Application Publication WO2011/058119).